PITTSBURGH – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists that the inbound (westbound) lanes of the Parkway East (I-376) in City of Pittsburgh and the boroughs of Edgewood and Swissvale, Allegheny County, will be closed this weekend beginning at 8 p.m. Friday night continuously through 5 a.m. on Monday.
The closure will begin at the Wilkinsburg Interchange (Exit 8) and end at the inbound Squirrel Hill on-ramp (Exit 5). In addition, a single lane will be closed (two lanes open) in the work zone from the Squirrel Hill Tunnel to the Bates Street interchange (Exit 3) and all inbound ramps in closed section of the Parkway East, several ramps at the Squirrel Hill interchange and the outbound (eastbound) off ramp to Edgewood will be closed.
Motorists are advised to expect delays and congestion on the inbound Parkway East and detour route. Police will be used to assist with traffic flow at key intersections on the posted detour route. Motorists attending events downtown this weekend are encouraged to allow ample travel time and consider alternate routes into the city. An alternate suggestion is the Pennsylvania Turnpike from Monroeville (Exit 57) to Harmar (Exit 48) to access Route 28 southbound into the Pittsburgh area. With a Steelers home game this Saturday, heavy inbound delays should be expected.
PennDOT will use the modified inbound detour route this weekend. Between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, the detour route will use Beechwood Boulevard and bypass the business area of Squirrel Hill. During other hours (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.), the traffic will follow existing detour. Details are listed below.
Parkway East work schedule:
INBOUND (westbound)
Lane Closures:
Complete closure of the inbound (westbound) lanes of the Parkway East I-376)
between the Wilkinsburg interchange (Exit 8) and Squirrel Hill Tunnel (Exit 5) will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday night and continue around the clock over the weekend until 5 a.m. Monday. A single, inbound left-lane closure will begin one-quarter mile east of the Wilkinsburg interchange.
A single lane closure (two lanes open in the work zone) from the Squirrel Hill Tunnel to the Bates Street Interchange (Exit 3) will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday night, August 10 and continue around the clock over the weekend until 5 a.m. Monday.
8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Official Posted Detour (with police and flag crew assistance):
– From the Parkway East, take the Wilkinsburg exit to Route 8 (Penn Avenue).
– From Route 8 (Penn Avenue) make left onto Braddock Avenue.
– From Braddock Avenue make right onto Forbes Avenue.
– Make left onto Murray Avenue.
– From Murray continue to Forward Avenue.
– Continue on Forward Avenue to the inbound Parkway East on-ramp at the Squirrel Hill interchange.
6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Official Posted Detour (with police and flag crew assistance):
– From the Parkway East, take the Wilkinsburg exit to Route 8 (Penn Avenue).
– From Route 8 (Penn Avenue) make left onto Braddock Avenue.
– From Braddock Avenue make right onto Forbes Avenue.
– Make left onto Beechwood Boulevard.
– From Beechwood Boulevard, make right onto Forward Avenue.
– Continue on Forward Avenue to the inbound Parkway East on-ramp at the Squirrel Hill interchange.
Ramp Closures:
The on-ramps from westbound Beechwood Boulevard and the ramp from Forward Avenue to the inbound Parkway East will be closed beginning at 8 p.m. on Friday through 5 a.m. on Monday. (Note: Two ramps provide access to the Parkway East from Forward Avenue at the Squirrel Hill
Interchange. The closed ramp is on the south side of the Parkway East. The other ramp will remain open to accommodate the inbound detour route.) Beechwood Boulevard from Monitor Street to the Parkway East will also be closed.
Signs will be posted to guide motorists around the closures. The suggested detour is to take Murray Avenue to Forward Avenue and use the open Forward Avenue on-ramp to the inbound Parkway East. Crews will be performing concrete repairs, installing guide rail and trimming trees on the ramps.
All inbound on-ramps at Exit 7 (Edgewood Swissvale) and Exit 8 (Wilkinsburg) in the closed section of the Parkway East between the Wilkinsburg Interchange and the Squirrel Hill Tunnel will be closed from 8 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Crews will be concrete patching and resurfacing the ramps. Traffic should use the detour (shown above) for the inbound lanes to access the Parkway East or the detour listed below:
Edgewood Swissvale inbound on-ramps detour:
– Take the outbound Parkway East to the Wilkinsburg Interchange (Exit 8).
– Follow posted detour to Squirrel Hill.
Wilkinsburg inbound on-ramps:
– Follow posted detour to Squirrel Hill.
Outbound (Eastbound)
Ramp Closures:
The outbound off-ramp to Edgewood/northbound Braddock Avenue and Greendale Avenue at the Edgewood Swissvale interchange (Exit 7) will be closed at 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. on Monday. The suggested detour is to continue on the off-ramp to Swissvale and make a left turn onto northbound Braddock Avenue.
In addition, Forward Avenue under the Parkway East at the Squirrel Hill interchange will be restricted to 10-foot wide lane widths for concrete repairs from 8 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday.